US3057473A - Vitamin calendar - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 R. B. STERN ET AL VITAMIN CALENDAR Filed Oct. 2, 1958 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 8 25 IF|G.4

JNVENTORS: RUTH B. STERN and HARMOND s. HARVEY United States Patent Harmond S. Harvey, 712 Saw Mill Brook Parkway, Newton, Mass.

Filed Oct. 2, 1953, Ser. No. 764,813 2 Claims. (Cl. 20678) This invention relates to a new article of commerce, namely, an arrangement for simultaneously storing and displaying vitamins or similar small-dosage foods or medicines in such a manner as to readily permit and control appropriate daily dosages.

If a person attempts to use an ordinary calendar or calendar pad to accurately control the intake of his smalldosage foods or medicines, the number of separate operations required for effective control creates a considerable possibility of error. Thus, if it is desired by the person that he take one vitamin capsule a day, he might accomplish this by making a note on his calendar pad to take a capsule. He would then find his separate package of vitamin capsules or candies and swallow one. However, he would then have to indicate on his calendar pad that he had actually taken one for the record to be complete. If he fails to perform any one of these three operations he may be uncertain later in the day that he actually took it. 'In other words, the pressure and complexity of modern life makes it increasingly diflicult to have an accurate memory of small routine acts.

Further, vitamins or vitamin-containing-food are essential for children. There is no simple device for a child to insure the intake of uniform dosages. It is for this reason that a substantially fool-proof device is desirable to control the consumption of required or desired smalldosage foods or medicines.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel, reliable device for uniform intake of relatively small portions of foods or medicines, such as vitamin capsules or units of vitamin candy.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the specification and claims which follow.

The present invention comprises generally a plurality of individual dosages of food or medicine sealed in standard size containers and positioned in a cooperating display holder. Each of the dosage units is clearly marked serially with a different number corresponding to the day of the month. When these units are positioned in cooperable form with the display-holder, there is clear vision of the unit for the particular present day of the month, which when removed indicates the next succeeding exposed unit.

In this manner, when the particular numbered daily unit has been removed from its display-holder, the user, even if a child, can clearly see that no other dosage is required until the next day.

Two preferred embodiments of this invention are illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of vitamin candy sealed in a transparent film.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a fiat holder embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross section along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a box holder embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal transverse section along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2, 3, there is provided a backing sheet 11 which has a month space 12 near the top and a plurality of parallel horizontal rails 13 attached to the backing sheet. The rails form with the sheet opposing horizontal slots or grooves 14 which are cooperable with identical rectangularly shaped units 15 of scaled plastic film each containing a single dosage of vitamin candy. On the upper rail 16 or adjacent thereto are equally spaced markings of the days of the week forming column headings. Each unit 15 has a d fferent clearly visible number marked on it, beginning with the numeral one and ending with the last day of the month in question. Each of the units 15 is slidable between adjacent rails and can be removed in order, one at a time, usually from the left. The month space 12 1s registrable with a printed month strip 17 coated with pressure sensitive adhesive so that it can be readily changed. The calendar is thus a permanent device requiring only that new serially numbered units be inserted at the beginning of each month and a new month strip aflixed.

In the form illustrated in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 there is a hollow container 21 of substantially rectangular cross-section, containing units 22 which are kept urged forward by a longitudinal spring 23. The units are substantially similar to those described in the first embodiment as number 15. The front 24 of the box has an opening 25 slightly smaller than the width and length of the unit but in addition has an offset opening 26 which permits the user to pinch one corner of the exposed unit and remove it from the box, thus immediately exposing the unit with the succeeding number. The container is provided on its outer surface with removable means 27 for identifying a specific month, as shown on cover 28.

While the preferred embodiments of our invention have been described in detail, it will be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the particular construction set forth, since various changes in the form, material, proportions, and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or destroying any of the advantages contained in the same heretofore described and defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A display holder comprising in combination a control calendar dispensing means and a plurality of sequentially numbered dispensible units, said calendar comprising a backing sheet imprinted in a tabular form of weekly rows covering a period of one month; said dispensing means comprising pairs of horizontal rails afiixed to and extending from said sheet above and below said rows forming opposing slots for positioning, sliding, moving and removing said units; each of said units comprising a sealed container enclosing a selected dosage of material to be consumed and adapted to be positioned between and to slide freely in said horizontal slots; said display holder having removable means for identifying a specific month.

2. A display holder having in combination a control calendar dispensing means and a plurality of sequentially numbered dispensible units each containing a selected dosage of material to be consumed; said calendar comprising a backing sheet imprinted in a tabular form of weekly rows covering a period of one month; said dispensing means comprising pairs of opposing horizontal parallel rails aflixed to and extending from said backing sheet above and below each said row forming opposing slots; said units being sequentially positioned in said rows and of sufiicient length and width to allow horizontal sliding between said rails, said backing sheet being pro vided with removable means for identifying a specific month.

(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,115,021 Jeffee Apr. 26, 1938 2129122 Follett Se 1. 6 1938 NITED T PATENT 1 P 1 U S ATES S 2,147,086 Bryan Feb. 14, 1939 1,288,568 Hall 1918 2,247,252 Price 1 June 24, 1941 1,479,423 Barton 1, 1924 2,877,893 Volckcning at al Mar. 17, 1959 1,939,642 Barnes Dec. 19, 1933 5

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